Page 17 of Jewel in the Rough

“Elbow-crawl toward the bedroom door,” Teagan ordered, as if he hadn’t just rocked Benny’s world. “I’m pretty sure they’re not inside the house… yet. I’m going to scoot around you and head toward the back of the landing where the small window is. But with my leg fucked up, I can’t squat and stand quickly enough to check if they’re out back. I need you to try and look.”

“What about the front door?”

“If they come through the front door, I’ve got them.”

The next few minutes were a whirlwind, to the extent that later Benny would have a hard time recalling what happened.

The front door slammed open, rattling the walls, and Benny’s heart shot into his throat, suffocating him. The lock must have been compromised or the door just gave way when one of the assholes kicked at it after shooting it full of bullet holes. They were so going to die. Teagan shoved Benny aside and lay flat on his stomach, aiming his gun toward the open doorway, and squeezed the trigger. Everything was so loud and close that Benny wanted to cover his ears, to cower, to run away. Flight or fight was a real thing. They were sitting ducks and it was all Benny’s fault. Everything was his fault.

He forced himself to breathe in through his nose and out through his mouth, it would do no good if Benny passed out.

“I want to learn to shoot a gun,” he whispered to Teagan between shots. As if the shooters didn’t know they were trapped inside the house.

“Okay, I’ll teach you, but now is not the time. I know you’re freaking out but I need you to stay calm.”

The hallway window above their heads exploded, showering them with glass and dust from where the barrage had punctured the ceiling.

“How the fuck am I supposed to stay calm with people shooting at us?!”

“Get yourself into the bathroom,” Teagan ordered, his voice low. “Climb into the tub, right now, and don’t fucking argue with me.”

“As if I’d argue,” Benny argued as he followed Teagan’s direction, crab-crawling across the shattered glass to the bathroom door and pushing it open. His heart was crashing against his ribs so hard he was afraid he really was going to pass out. His vision tunneled, making the tub seem a long way away.

A big hand pushed against his butt. “Hurry it up!”

Crawling faster, he launched himself into the clawfoot bathtub, undoubtedly original to the house, and scooted to one end. Teagan followed him. With two of them, and their legs and stuff, it was all awkward. And the faucet was jammed between his shoulder blades.

Teagan patted his chest. “Turn around and lean back against me.”

Benny scrambled to obey.

When Teagan wrapped his arms around Benny and squeezed, Benny realized he was full-on shaking. He pressed himself back against Teagan’s strong body, needing the contact, proof he was still alive.

“I’ll keep you safe,” Teagan murmured into his hair.

Fuck, he hoped so. He wasn’t going through all this violence and having Teagan admit tolikinghim only to end up dead before he could find out exactly whatlikemeant. Not. Gonna. Happen.

There seemed to be a pause in the assault and then there were more gun shots, followed by silence again. It felt like hours passed before they heard footsteps on the porch and another man’s voice. Teagan’s grip tightened and he lifted his weapon again.

“Sheriff’s department, Deputy Jorgensen here. Teagan Morrison?”

Benny let out the breath he was holding and Teagan lowered his gun.

“Help has arrived,” Teagan murmured into Benny’s ear. “Upstairs in the bathroom!” Tegan called out to the stranger as he squeezed Benny’s shoulder. “Let’s see what happened.”

Teagan hoisted Benny up so he could get out of the tub and then extricated himself a little slower.

“We’re going to need to clean that hand up.”

Benny glanced down at his palm, which was covered with blood and dripping onto the tile floor. He hadn’t felt the wound until now.

That was when the room started to spin, and then everything went black.

CHAPTER9

Teagan

Gotta do it.

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